Nu. 2-4: on micromanagement

       Numbers 2 gives the layout of the tribes’ camps about the tabernacle.

       Numbers 3:1-14 introduces the census of the Levites, with a reference to Nadab and Abihu. [I’ll come back to that.] Because all the firstborn belong to God, the Levites will replace the firstborn of all the tribes of Israel.

       Numbers 3:13 Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the LORD.

       Moses counts the Levites, every male of one month old or older. There aren’t enough Levites to cover all of the firstborn of Israel, so they collect money from the tribes to cover them. This is given to Aaron and his sons per God’s command.

       A few days ago, I wrote about when God says “if.” To get at the heart of scripture, to see God’s heart, character and motivation, I recommend you also take note of other specific words when God says them. Two more are “because” and “lest.” God says "because" in 3:13. Did you find “lest” in chapter 4? If you have a different translation, you will have to look harder for key concepts like “lest.” You’ll have to think of do/don’t do…or else. If you use a Strong’s concordance (I highly recommend), you can look up “lest,” find the verse in the concordance and then look it up in your translation. All right, I’ll tell you.

       Numbers 4:18-20 Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites: But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden: But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.

       [More on the Kohathites later.]
       I was impressed by something in chapters 3-4. Talk about micromanagement! As a rule, I don’t like being micromanaged. As I think about it, it occurs to me that maybe I dislike it so much because I might possibly have that tendency. I’m blessed right now to have two bosses that aren’t micromanagers. They trust me to do my job. You have no idea how freeing it is to be trusted as competent. When you don't have to keep answering for every action, you can actually act!

       Having said that, why is God micromanaging? Is it possible that God didn’t trust the Levites to do their jobs? Ouch! God knows the past; He knows the future.

       Isaiah 46:9-10 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

       It follows that God knows how far Israel would fall, so He is careful to give such detail, lest people die. [To borrow from C.S. Lewis' concept, Aslan is not a tame lion.]
Therefore: Man micromanages=could be bad. God micromanages=bad sign but good intent!

       Which brings me to Nadab and Abihu.

Numbers 1: On Repetition.

       I love how God reveals Himself in the Old Testament. In Numbers, God is BIG and HOLY. Not only that, but you will read of the big and holy things people did out of zeal for God’s holiness and out of zeal for God’s people. Sometimes the accounts seem harsh. Sometimes you will see great mercy.

       True, in Numbers you will find genealogies, and lots of them. Some are phenomenally repetitive. In our bible study class, we discussed reasons for this. The bible scenes and accounts were first an oral tradition. Repetition helps the listener to remember the story. Also, there were literary devices familiar to the Hebrew tongue, devices that don’t always translate well. These are often in patterns of repetition.

       “But repetition is boring,” you say? Hmm, how do I say this lovingly? Get over it. God wants you to be able to read Numbers. If He wants you to do something, He'll help you. See what He says in Deuteronomy 30:11-14.

         For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.

       In the days before blu-ray, DVD, VHS and even television or radio, children everywhere loved stories. They still do. Anyone who has had a child or cared for one knows that sometimes there was one story, a favorite, that you had to read over and over and over and over. Talk about boring.

       But then, something happens. There comes a point when that story becomes so familiar that you move past the boring to actually enjoying it with the child.

       I have favorite songs that never get old, some albums, too. I can watch Ben Hur over and over and over. Sure, I know Messala comes to the same nasty end, but his dying words to Judah are still just as horrific: “Look for them in the valley of the lepers.” Messala has won. (Or has he?)

       Many of us, if we're really honest, look forward to A Christmas Story, that crazy retro celebration of blue-collar Christmases. For several years now, a television station has been playing it for 24 hours straight at Christmastime. And we complain because the bible is repetitious. Ouch!

       Look at that: a whole page and I haven’t even started a study on Numbers. Let me remedy that:

       Numbers 1 gives a census of every Israelite who could go to war. The total number was 603,550. For the detail lover, the census numbers wax and wane through the course of Israel's history. (I've never tracked them.) The Levites were not counted in this census. Their principle duty was to the tabernacle. They were to pitch round about the tabernacle that there be no wrath [Puq qetseph] upon the congregation of Israel.

         Selah.